Keeping Babies Happy and Healthy with Simple Touch Therapy

The skin being the largest organ of the body provides buffer and protection against harm and injuries of everyday life. It also plays a significant role in one’s health and well being. It induces a sense of security and comfort to anybody feeling sad or alone. The same effect goes for little ones, babies feel better when they are held and touched. Studies claim that touch therapy including massage help in a baby’s enhanced growth, healthy weight and social development.

Lovingly touching your babies help them grow stronger and troubled children tend to feel less anxious and restless when held. Many hospitals and birthing homes practice the “kangaroo wrap” by placing newly born babies in their mother’s chest or abdomen to provide the most skin to skin contact. It brings mother and child emotionally close and attached.

Babies communicate by crying and being touched reduces crying. Increasing mother and baby contact provides a greater sense of security for babies especially at the age of six weeks. There are parents who hesitate at carrying their baby more for fear of spoiling them, but this is not the case. The more the baby is carried and the less they will cry. So pick up your baby each time he or she cries to for them to know that you understand their needs. Touch therapy like stroking her head and rubbing her back tenderly while talking or singing reassures your baby that you will always be there.

Mothers and fathers also have different touch techniques with their babies. A mother’s touch tends to be calming and soothing. Moms touch gently, softly and hold babies with much tenderness. On the other hand, fathers engage a lot more physical touch in forms of play. Fathers would bounce their babies, raise them playfully in the air and roll with babies on the bed or on the floor. These types of touching contribute to a baby’s healthy development. Parents will soon learn to read their baby’s likes, dislikes and emotions. You will know the best time for playing, relaxing and cuddling.

Your touch is very important for your babies. It is our first language and touching constantly will help create a strong bond or attachment between you and your baby. With this, your baby will feel more secured and cry less. For you to create that nurturing bond with your child, touch is very important!